Need of a little practice [Private: Lloyd/Zoel]

It was a nice and sunny day outside and Lloyd wanted to get a bowl of fresh air. He didn't took some time for himself to train like he used to back home since he arrived at Syne. He decided that today would be the perfect day to do it. As he stepped in the courtyard, he felt the warmness of the sun and decided to go for a little run around school and maybe later some other training. But first a jogging was needed to warm up. As he starts running he observes his surrounding and the people that formed it. Students, teachers and other staff members were there, talking and doing there stuff. Lloyd was observing everyone, not to learn something from them, just to see them enjoying a good and simple time together. As Lloyd was running around he started to go faster and faster so he could let go of his semblance one day to make quick moves. He then turned a corner a little too sharp and at the speed he was going couldn't stop from bumped into someone and fell on the ground as he was out of breath. He would have apologize right away but he lied on the ground looking at the sky seemingly ignoring the other student.

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"Memories should be the only things to preserve in our lives, because in the end, they're the last things we can hold on to."

Zoel had been meandering his way throughout the school building his legs moving with a hasty yet lazy stretch as his legs slowly reacted to the force of the floor under them by taking yet another oddly long step. The boy was new to the school and had almost no bearings for the winding hallways that he had found himself in, yet as he found himself being a vagrant to the halls of the school he couldn't help but lose himself in the thought of his blade. His eyes shuffle between trying to keep track of the people in front of him and the short modified rapier in his right hand. While it had never peeved him before he found that the hundreds of wondering eyes had ignited the need to find a place for the blade to sit both efficiently and with some kind of unique flare.

The boy had just finished prototyping the blades new position of resting underneath of his arm and he could tell immediately that the placement was a flop. As reached for the awkwardly placed sheath and blade he almost instantly found himself in a dazed loss as his backside came to a plummeting halt on the cold ground. Zoel looked up for his assailant but was surprised to find that the person who had knocked him over had met the same fate as he. The boy couldn't have been more than 2 or 3 years older than he yet something about him almost gave off an air of maturity. Zoel's eyes widened as he realized that the boy opposite him had a dazed look about his eyes, what if he had a concussion? How would he explain this to the nurse? Zoel leaned far back so that the back of his head touched the cold stone below him before penduluming his weight forward again, jumping into a crouch which matured into a stand. Zoel held out an open hand to try and help the newcomer to his feet."I'm really sorry about that pal, I was a bit distracted, you aren't hurt are you?" He said sympathetically.It was then that Zoel remembered what had distracted him. With slightly pinked cheeks the boy raced to move what must have looked like a ridiculously placed weapon back to its home by his side. He returned his since retreated hand back out in front of him in an attempt to help out the boy in which he had collided with.

It was hard for Lloyd to understand right away what the other guy said as he was feeling like a wreck. He then looked at him after realizing that he apologized. "What are you apologizing for? I wasn't looking where I was going and I was running like crazy, I should be the one apologizing since I'm the danger." Lloyd gladly accepted the help of the guy to get up and was standing on his two feet again still dazed with the collision. "You are you alright, it most have been hard on you too. I'm Lloyd, by the way, and sorry for that" He scratched the back of his head a little embarrassed for literally crashing into someone and forwarded his hand for a shake. "Can I do something to apologize? Anything as long that it's simple." Lloyd looked at the guy for a sec, he seemed in a good shape, he seems to use a sword as a weapon and has it with him, maybe... "I'm sorry, in fact I'd like to ask you something. I didn't got the chance to practice fighting ever since I'm here and looked for a sparing partner, if you are interested..." He knew that asking something out of someone on a first meeting was not always well seen by others, but Lloyd had a feeling that this young man might agree.

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"Memories should be the only things to preserve in our lives, because in the end, they're the last things we can hold on to."

Zoel stared back at Lloyd with a mostly blank face. Once the boy introduced himself he snapped back into it."The name is Zoel, it's a pleasure to meet you."He continued to listen on to the boy and could practically feel his ears perk up at the he suggested sparring match. A smile quickly arched across his mouth as the sentence came to be a chuckle escaping from him."Honestly I was just going to ask you to suggest a spot in which I should put my sheath, but a practice match sounds one hundred times better!"The words came out as soon as Lloyd had finished his sentence, his eyes began to dart around in search."So where should we go? Does this school have a room or outdoors area for practice?"

Lloyd stared gladly at Zoel as he agreed to spar. He didn't thought it would be that easy to ask for and was even more surprised by his straightforward answer. " About your sheath, having it on your side would be the most common answer but since your sword seems small enough you could put it in your lower back at your belt, like a big hunting knife of some sort. As for the a place to spar, I most admit that it would be a shame to waste such a beautiful day inside and I think we should do our training in the courtyard. A big and nicely opened area, I think it would be perfect, don't you think?" He looked around to seek the best spot to train. It needed to be a place with some shade but not too much, with nothing in the way to use as cover. Just a straight fight between two guys, no cheap move except the surprises of not knowing how the other one fights. Lloyd, however, had one more surprise than Zoel and it was his weapon. Lloyd started to walk toward the courtyard and picked up his coat that he had left behind while running and putted it on. He then took something that looked like a stick out of his inside pocket and unfold a cane out of it. He putted his weight on it with some kind of fancypants pose and looked at Zoel. "Does this place looks okay to you?"

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"Memories should be the only things to preserve in our lives, because in the end, they're the last things we can hold on to."

Zoel listened to the boys advice and fashioned his sword and sheath on his hip a bit farther back towards his back. It didn't feel too bad and while the quick drawing with it would take some getting used to he could see it being effective. He looked back up at Lloyd and gave him a confirming smirk with a thumbs up to help show his approval of the new home for his weapon."Its feeling good so far." He looked around the contained room, glancing through the glass made windows. "I would agree on the outdoors thing as well, it is definitely too nice of a day to ignore."

He followed the boy along the halls without a second word on the matter. When the two finally came to a stop Zoel was more than happy with the area that had opened up into their battlefield. He happy took his space on the other side of the court yard and faced his opponent."This place is way more than suitable to me. You should see the place I used to do my training at, holes everywhere." He gave a disgusted face before laughing at his own resurfaced memory. He subconsciously spread his feet apart, yet forcing his back into a straighter position. Zoel had already pulled the knife from its sheath and held it outwards from himself, his body's side pointed at his opponent with his knife down and ready for the typical fencer's salute. While Zoel never expected anybody outside of the practice of fencing to know the gesture he still honored it as a sign of respect for his opponent. As the final piece to his pose the boy allowed his his left arm to wrap around his back to keep it out of his way and in the fencing pose he was used to. While he knew that at some point in the battle he would lose the beaten into him pose of a fencer for his normally more wild slashing and stabbing nature, he always enjoyed the start of his fights to look professional.

"I only wished for the best spot for our training. Would be a shame that on of us was about to lose for some random holes or trees." Lloyd looked at Zoel as the boy took a fencing stance. He happily returned the salute he had made saying:"This is great to see someone following the noble path of fencing. Not a fencer myself but I admire those who do. This training will surely be interesting. So, any particular rules? For my part I'd only suggest that the first to be half-dead loses, is it good for you?" Lloyd wanted to know how the fight would go to know how to gauge himself. After the salute, Lloyd took the exact same stance as Zoel, looking at him strait in the eyes with a small grin on his face trying to provoke him to react first. He pointed his cane right at him like it was a sword. "A cane versus a knife, what weird fencers we are, don't you think?" He smirked as he lifted his hand with a gesture that suggested that he was waiting for Zoel to attack first. "Please have the honor. You gladly accepted to spar with me so I want to let you move first. I'm ready, lets work for this first training to be memorable, shall we?" With a voice all in honor, Lloyd openly said that he was happy to fight again...

OOC: The first one to be at half of his health loses. Me, it would be 50 HP, you, 85 HP

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"Memories should be the only things to preserve in our lives, because in the end, they're the last things we can hold on to."

Zoel had been surprised as the boy mimicked the salute yet shot him a smile of gratitude none the less. He had never been a fan of making the first move on an opponent and breaking his fencing pose already would be such a shame. While it was still possible it was certainly much harder to pull off a riposte from any other stance he knew that as soon as he broke out of the stance he would be relying on his own speed for dodging and would only rely on his weapons defenses if he had no other choice. Lucky for him he liked to think of himself as quite the quick person, the fact that he didn't wear any kind of armor had always helped him stay on his toes as well.

Zoel started up his rhythmic movements as he began to shuffle his feet around in a simple back and forth motion, it was a fairly common tactic, one that Zoel had seen much more in fists fights than sword battles however it was always easier to dodge something if you are already moving. He allowed himself ten seconds to get into his movement before he sprang. As soon as his right foot made contact onto the cool earth he forced it into a twist to face his opponent, this allowed his feet to get a strong grip and use the dirt under him as a makeshift spring board while he forced his strength into his leg for the push off. While Zoel had never found that technique comfortable since it involved forcing his ankle to twist into an uncomfortable position before pushing onto it with twice his weight he couldn't deny the obvious fact that it was effective at getting him into an instant sprint making it easier to catch an opponent off guard. With one more kick off of the earth with his left foot as it caught the ground from his recent jolt of movement Zoel closed in on his opponent quickly. With his arm already outstretched in the fencing pose the boy raised up his dagger and went in for the stabbing attack that had embedded itself into his muscle memory.

Lloyd was very happy to see that Zoel accepted in making the first move. He was also glad the his move was straightforward. He was proud to see such boldness, bit that move was also reckless as Zoel didn't know the secret of his weapon. Lloyd just made a step forward, not too big because he didn't want to get too close too fast, but too small as he needed to be close enough. As Zoel was closing up, Lloyd made lifted slowly but firmly his cane to deflect Zoel pointing dagger and dashed in the same manner that his opponent did in his charge closing on his body. Lloyd punched him in his abdomen and used the speed of Zoel against him by throwing him behind. As Zoel was in the air, Lloyd unfolded his weapon, what was a cane became a 3m long lance that extended into Zoel who was not even at 2m away. The speed at which it has extended most have been a surprise as well as the fact that the cane wasn't his weapon, but it's Carry Mode. After the strike, Lloyd smiled at Zoel. "I admire the courage you just showed me by charging, but you didn't plan carefully enough. And sorry if you think that it was a cheap tactic for a fencer, as I said earlier, I'm not one, I still admire you but it would be an insult to fight you if I was to hold myself. Need to fight at our best, don't you agree?"

Ooc: The punch wasn't really an attack as it was just to throw you. As for the surprise lance strike, you can still try to block or deflect it I guess, but see this a surprise attack (Sorry I'm evil...)

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"Memories should be the only things to preserve in our lives, because in the end, they're the last things we can hold on to."